Apparatus for use in electrodeposition of metals.



Patented Aug. I3, |90I. S. 0. CD-WPEH-COLES.

(Application led Apr. 8, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

APPARATUS FUR USE IN ELECTRODEPOSITION 0F METALS.

(No Model.)

N0. 680,408. Patented Aug. I3, |90I. S. 0. GWPER-CLES. APPARATUS FOB USEIN ELECTRODEPDSITION 0F METALS.

(Application led Apt. 8, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

1f (D GD .0. Y i J l/I' F 141 6 Q Q) Z ,UNITEDl STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SHERARD OSBORN COWPER-COLES, OF IVES'IMINSTER', ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR USE IN ELECTROPEPOSITION OF M ETALS.

SPECIFICATION' formingpart of Letters Patent N o. 680,408, dated August13, 1901.

. Application tiled April 8, 1901.

To all whom if may concern:

Beit known that I, SHERARD OsBoRN COW- PER-COLES, engineer, a subject ofthe King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 26 and 27 GrosvenorMansions,Victoria street, in the city of IVestminster, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Use in theElectrodeposition of Metals; and l do hereby declare the following .tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it. appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates t0 the process of electrodeposition of metalsforming the subjectmatter of Letters Patent No. 644,029, dated the 20thday of February, 1900, granted to me, wherein the electrodeposition ofmetals is effected while a high speed of rotation is imparted to thecathode, as set forth'in the specification of the said Letters Patent;and the object of my present invention is to provide .an improvedapparatus for use in the.said

process.

According to my invention the cathode is rotated in the depositing-vatby means of a wheel, against which the electrolyte is caused to impingefrom suitable nozzles, the said electrolyte afterward passing from thedepositing-vat and being returned to the nozzles with, if desired,intermediate regeneration and separation of impurities which it hastaken up in the bleaching-vate or from the anodes.

A convenient construction of the apparatus is as follows; but I do notlimit myself to thev precise details.

I will .describe the construction with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical section, and Fig. 2 a plan.

I provide a suitabledepositing-vat Z, preferably a lead-lined vat, andprojecting inward from the side toward the upper part thereof areinjecting jets or nozzles, (I have shown:` three such jets or nozzles,marked B,) through which the electrolyte can be forced by a pump orother suitable means for applying the requisite pressure thereto andconnected by a pipe and branch pipes with the said jets or nozzles. Atthe lower part of the depositingvat is an outlet z, by which theelectrolyte is sena no. 54,878. (No modelo withdrawn by the pump for useagain at the jets or nozzles B, as hereinbefore mentioned. The mandrelor the like (indicated at E) upon which the coatiugis to be formed issecured to a central shaft e, which may be done by providing the shaft ewith al disk e2, to which the mandrel E is secured by screws es, thelower end of the mandrel having screwed into it a disk e4, carrying ascrew e5, on which fit-s a cap or nutl e to secure a baffle e7 in place,a bale es being also secured around the upper end of the mandrel, asshown, these baf- Iles eT and e8 serving to prevent the formation oftrees or nodules; but I do not limit myself to this wayof securing themandrel to the said shaft. The shaft e is suspended from au overheadbearing-bracket F, the said shaft being provided with a disk G,'securedto the shaft, as shown. A bearing-disk H, carried by a piece or plate h,with a spherical lower side, rests in a corresponding recess in thebracket F, so that the shaft and cathode are free to swing somewhat. Thedisks G and II are gro'oved to receivel ball or roller bearings g, uponwhich the disk G rotates with the shaft and cathode. secured a waterwheel'or turbine A, which maybe of the Felton-wheel type, so situatedthat it is opposite the jets or nozzles B, projecting through the sideof the depositing-vat. This wheel or turbine A can be secured by thescrews e3 to the disk e2, the saidscrews also serving to secure theba'le e8 by pinching it between the top of the mandrel E and the rim ofthe wheel A. The lower one of the rings H2, supporting the anodessurrounding the mandrel E, is supported upon an insulatingfootstep-piece I, one conductor from lthe dynamo or source ofelectricity being connected at J with this anode, while the otherconductor is'connected at K to brushes 7c, which are carried by the armk2 and bear upon the shaft e, (carrying the mandrel E, which forms thecathode,) preferably at the upper end, protruding from the bearing, asshown. The anode is preferably formed of anumber of radially ortangentially disposed plates carried by the rings 1I and with spacesbetween. them to allow free passage of the electrolyte. The anodes thusarranged act as baffles for the electrolyte. By thel tangentialprojection of the To the shaft e is IOO electrolyte upon vthe wheel orturbine VA the shaft e and mandrel E carried by it are rotated at thehigh rate of speed required for securinga good and adherent deposit ofmetal 5- upon the cathode or mandrel.

Ale or to the formation of superposed deposits of- The invention may beapplied to the for'- mation of deposits composed entirely of one kind ofmetal-as, for example, copper deposited from an electrolyte of a coppersaltdiierent kinds of metal-such, for example, as for the manufacture ofSheield plate by depositing a layer of copper upon a layer -of silver. y

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of thisinvention and in what manner the saine is to be performed, I

' declare that what I 'claim .is-

1. In apparatus for the electrodeposition of zo metals, a vat, arevolnbly-mou nted cathode in the vat, a turbine located in the upperpart of the vat for rotating the cathode, and means for projecting theelectrolyte against the said and provided with a turbine, and means forprojecting the electrolyte against the said wheel' or turbine so as to.rotate the cathode substantially as hereinbefore described.

4. Apparatus for the electrodeposition of metals consisting of a vathaving an outlet for the electrolyte, anodes mounted in said vat so asto leave av space between them for the passage of theelectrolyte, jetsor nozzles adapted te project the electrolyte into the vat, avertically-disposed shaft, a support ing-bracket on the vat, a platehaving an approximately spherical bottom resting against said bracket,ball-bearings interposed between the plate and shaft, a mandrel orcathode on the shaft, and a turbine associated with the mandrel andits'shaft and adapted `to be acted upon by the electrolyte projectedinto the vat to rotate the mandrel.

45. In apparatus for the electrodeposition of metals, a vat, arevolubly-mounted cathode in said vat, aturbine associated with thecathode, means for projecting the electrolyte into the vat against theturbine so as to rotate the at intervals about the cathode adapted toact as bales for the electrolyte and allow it to pass between them. v

In testimony whereof I atix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SHERARD OSBORN COWIER-COLES. Witnesses:

E. G. WOOLDRIDGE D. COLLIER.V

` cathode, and a Vplurality of anodes disposed

